Frosties
Search documents
Wendy's says as many as 350 US locations will close in the first half of this year
Business Insider· 2026-02-13 16:02
Core Viewpoint - Wendy's is facing significant challenges in its US operations, leading to plans for closing up to 350 locations due to declining sales and profitability [1][2]. Group 1: Sales Performance - Full-year, system-wide US sales decreased by 5.2% in 2025, with same-restaurant sales down 5.6% year over year [1]. - International sales are performing better, with system-wide sales increasing by 8.1% and same-restaurant sales up 1.3% year over year [3]. Group 2: Operational Changes - The company plans to close 5% to 6% of its approximately 6,000 US locations during the first half of 2026 as part of its turnaround strategy, Project Fresh [2]. - The closures follow a series of hundreds of location shutdowns last year, which were attributed to technological obsolescence [3]. Group 3: Market Reaction - Despite the announcement of closures, Wall Street's reaction to Wendy's earnings report was muted, although the stock price has declined by about 8.5% in 2026 and nearly 50% compared to the previous year [3].